Capitol Updates

Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026

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Now is the Time: Advance Paid FMLA for Teachers

The NSEA Government Relations team is continuing its strong push to secure paid Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) for Nebraska educators during the 2026 legislative session. This issue has been a top priority for NSEA members, and support has only grown. Our fall member survey showed overwhelming agreement that teachers should not be forced to choose between their health, their families, and their paychecks during major life events. With an important Education Committee meeting scheduled for next week, the coming days are critical to ensuring this legislation advances. 

The proposal moving forward is LB440 with Amendment AM1699, which reflects significant improvements based on feedback from educators, school districts, and senators. AM1699 modifies the original bill by removing the previously proposed mandatory payroll fee to cover substitute costs. Instead, it establishes a clear statutory requirement that school districts provide up to 30 service days—six work weeks—of paid leave for qualifying FMLA events, while maintaining local control and flexibility. 

Under AM1699, school districts would be able to design local solutions that work best for their communities. Districts could meet the paid FMLA requirement through locally negotiated agreements, sick leave banks, pooled leave programs, or other district-designed approaches. Importantly, paid FMLA under this amendment would not be deducted from an employee’s accumulated sick or personal leave, and substitute teacher costs associated with paid FMLA would be excluded from district budget authority limits. This ensures districts are not penalized for complying with the law or supporting their employees. 

Paid FMLA is narrowly defined under federal law and applies only to serious and qualifying life events, including the birth or adoption of a child, an educator’s own serious health condition, or caring for an immediate family member with a serious medical condition. Without paid FMLA, many educators exhaust their leave or take unpaid time off during these moments, creating financial hardship and contributing to burnout and attrition. Establishing a statewide baseline for paid FMLA will help improve educator retention, stability in classrooms, and fairness across districts. 

Call to Action: An Education Committee vote is approaching, and your voice matters. NSEA members are urged to contact members of the Education Committee (below) in the next few days and politely ask them to advance LB440 with AM1699 out of committee. Let senators know that educators strongly support this common-sense, locally flexible approach to paid FMLA and that now is the time to act. Together, we can ensure Nebraska educators are supported when they need it most.  

Sen. Dave Murman, Chair, Glenvil 
dmurman@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Jana Hughes, Vice Chair, Seward 
jhughes@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Danielle Conrad, Lincoln 
dconrad@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Megan Hunt, Omaha 
mhunt@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Margo Juarez, Omaha 
mjuarez@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Dan Lonowski, Hastings 
dlonowski@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Glen Meyer, Wayne 
gmeyer@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Rita Sanders, Bellevue 
rsanders@leg.ne.gov 

Strengthening Child Care to Support Families

LB304, introduced by Sen. Wendy DeBoer, would eliminate the sunset provision on the expanded eligibility for Nebraska’s child care subsidy, making current income eligibility permanent rather than allowing it to expire this fall. In 2021, Nebraska raised the household income threshold for subsidized child care from 130% to 185% of the Federal Poverty Level, helping thousands of working families afford reliable child care and remain employed. 

Without passage of LB304, eligibility will revert to the lower threshold, placing Nebraska among the lowest-ranking states for subsidy access and cutting off assistance for an estimated 2,500 families. The bill is currently pending in the Health and Human Services Committee and must be advanced out of committee before the full Legislature can debate and vote on this important policy. 

Maintaining expanded access to child care subsidies has far-reaching implications for Nebraska’s workforce and economy. Affordable child care allows parents to work consistent hours, maintain employment, and contribute to their local communities. If the expanded eligibility is allowed to expire, many families will face difficult choices that could force them out of the workforce altogether. Businesses, schools, and essential services would all feel the effects of increased employee turnover, staffing shortages, and economic instability. Advancing LB304 out of committee is a critical step toward preserving stability for families and employers across the state. 

Educators have a direct stake in the outcome of LB304. Many teachers, paraprofessionals, and school support staff rely on affordable child care in order to do their jobs. When child care becomes unstable or unaffordable, staff absenteeism increases and retention becomes more difficult. In addition, students are impacted when family routines are disrupted due to child care challenges, affecting attendance, behavior, and learning readiness. Strong child care systems support strong schools, and LB304 helps ensure that connection remains intact. 

NSEA members are urged to contact their state senator and senators of the Health and Human Services Committee now and ask them to support advancing LB304 out of committee so the full Legislature can debate and adopt the measure. Let senators know that stable, affordable child care matters to educators, students, and working families alike. Advancing LB304 is an investment in Nebraska’s workforce, its schools, and the well-being of children across the state. Here are the members of the HHS committee: 

Sen. Brian Hardin, Chair, Gering 
bhardin@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. John Fredrickson, Omaha 
jfredrickson@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Beau Ballard, Lincoln 
bballard@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Ben Hansen, Blair 
bhansen@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Glen Meyer, Wayne 
gmeyer@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Dan Quick, Grand Island 
dquick@leg.ne.gov 

Sen. Merv Riepe, Ralston 
mriepe@leg.ne.gov 

Support LB1208: Invest in Teachers and Students:

LB1208, introduced by Senator Juarez, would require that for the 2026–27 school fiscal year and every year thereafter, at least 50% of each school system’s general fund expenditures be budgeted for teacher salaries and benefits under the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act (TEEOSA). This reform ensures that the largest share of local school dollars is dedicated to the professionals who educate our children rather than being spread disproportionately across non-instructional areas. By prioritizing compensation for teachers, LB1208 directly tackles one of the biggest challenges facing Nebraska schools: attracting and retaining qualified educators in communities across the state. 

Investing a greater share of the general fund in teacher pay sends a powerful message about the value we place on education. Competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits help reduce turnover, support teacher retention, and improve classroom stability — all key factors in student success. In Nebraska and many other states, teacher compensation has lagged behind rising costs of living and workloads, contributing to shortages and burnout. Ensuring that half of a district’s general fund goes to teacher pay and benefits will help bring compensation more in line with the vital work educators perform every day.

ACTION NEEDED: If you believe Nebraska should invest in our teachers and classrooms, please submit a letter of support for LB1208 online before 8 a.m. on Tuesday, February 3. Your voice matters in this process — letters from constituents help committee members understand the real-world impact this bill would have on schools, families, and communities. If you are interested in testifying in support of LB1208—especially as a teacher—please contact Eamonn at eamonn.leahy@nsea.org for more information and coordination. 

Together we can help ensure that Nebraska teachers are valued and supported through meaningful budget priorities! Your voice is critical to advancing this bill and making teacher compensation a true priority in Nebraska schools. 

Hearings Scheduled Next Week

Committee hearings are a crucial component of the legislative process, offering lawmakers an avenue to directly engage with educators, parents, and other stakeholders regarding the potential consequences of proposed legislation. Your voice holds significant influence in shaping the outcome of these bills. We will keep you informed about the scheduling of hearings throughout the session. Unless otherwise indicated, all hearings commence promptly at 1:30 p.m. and will be live streamed on NET. For your convenience, you can watch the hearings online here. 

Monday, Feb. 2

LB742 (McKinney) Provide for participation of 7th and 8th grade students in high school sports 
NSEA Position: Monitor (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/2/2026) 

LB1038 (Hughes) Change provisions relating to school funding and property taxes 
NSEA Position: Monitor (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/2/2026) 

LB1046 (McKinney) Require school policies relating to NIL rights for high school students 
NSEA Position: Monitor (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/2/2026) 

LB1146 (Conrad) Change reports by a school district relating to absences of a child from school 
NSEA Position: Monitor (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/2/2026) 

LB1243 (Murman) Change school board policies and procedures relating to part-time enrollment 
NSEA Position: Oppose (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/2/2026) 

LR303CA (Cavanaugh, M.) Constitutional amendment to provide for paid family medical leave 
NSEA Position: Support (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/2/2026) 

Tuesday, Feb. 3 

LB1164 (Lonowski) Adopt the Prior Learning Act 
NSEA Position: Monitor (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/3/2026) 

LB1196 (Storer) Prohibit use of public funds for low-earning postsecondary ed programs 
NSEA Position: Monitor (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/3/2026) 

LB1208 (Juarez) Provide a budget requirement under TEEOSA 
NSEA Position: Support (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/3/2026) 

LB1224 (Hunt) Prohibit children from transferring to an exempt school during investigations 
NSEA Position: Monitor (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/3/2026) 

LB1241 (Murman) Provide requirements relating to applications for employment at a school 
NSEA Position: Oppose (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/3/2026) 

Friday, Feb. 6 

LB1013 (Hansen) Change requirements relating to gender at YRTC 
NSEA Position: Oppose (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/6/2026) 

LB1102 (Ballard) Change when COLAs occur under Class V School Retirement Act 
NSEA Position: Support (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/6/2026) 

LB1166 (Juarez) Change applicability of the state plan school employee contribution rate 
NSEA Position: Support (submit comments online before 8:00am CST on 2/6/2026) 

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